Economic Integration and Convergence of Per Capita Income in West Africa

Economic co‐operation at the regional and sub‐regional level has been an important feature of the economic development policies of developing countries. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was established in 1975 with a view, inter alia, to promote economic co‐operation and integration in West Africa. This paper tests for β and σ convergence for a group of low‐income countries in Africa where studies of this nature is sparse. Both cross sectional and time series approach is used to investigate convergence. The results show that ECOWAS countries form a convergence club, that is, the tendency for per capita income to convergence and a diminution of the standard deviation of per capita income over time. La coopération économique aux niveaux régional et sous‐régional constitue un élément important des politiques de développement économique adoptées par les pays en développement. La Communautééconomique des États d’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO) a été créée en 1975 pour, entre autres, promouvoir la coopération et l’intégration économique en Afrique de l’Ouest. Le présent article examine la convergence β et σ pour un certain nombre de pays africains á faible revenu oú les études de ce type sont peu nombreuses. Basant son examen de la convergence sur une approche á la fois transsectorielle et chronologique, l’article conclut que les pays de la CEDEAO forment un club de convergence, c’est á dire que le revenu par habitant manifeste une tendance á la convergence et enregistre une diminution de l’écart‐type au fil du temps.     

Nonpoint Source Pollution and Present Values: A Contingent Valuation Study of Lake Mendota

A split sample contingent valuation survey was conducted to estimate the aggregate willingness to pay of a group of Wisconsin residents for improving the water quality of a popular recreational lake. Extensive limnological research specific to the lake allowed for a thorough understanding of the relationship between pollutant loading and water quality response, thus making the lake an excellent candidate for a contingent valuation study. Results show that the water quality improvement will provide positive net benefits to the public and that payment time horizon has a significant effect on valuation statements.     

Company Support for Employee Volunteering: A National Survey of Companies in Canada

Company support for employee volunteerism (CSEV) benefits companies, employees, and society while helping companies meet the expectations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). A nationally representative telephone survey of 990 Canadian companies examined CSEV through the lens of Porter and Kramer’s (2006, ‘Strategy and society: the link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility’, Harvard Business Review, 78–92.) CSR model. The results demonstrated that Canadian companies passively support employee volunteerism in a variety of ways, such as allowing employees to take time off without pay (71%) or adjusting their work schedules (78%). These Responsive CSR efforts contribute to the company’s value chain by enhancing employee morale, a perceived CSEV benefit. More active forms of support requiring company time or money are less common; for example, 29% allow time off with pay. Companies perceive that support for employee volunteering enhances their public image, a Responsive CSR strategy when employed to ameliorate a damaged reputation or a Strategic CSR strategy when contributing to a competitive position. A minority perceive challenges like covering the workload. Many companies target and/or exclude particular causes and link CSEV efforts with other philanthropic donations, suggesting a Strategic CSR application of CSEV. Where programs exist, they frequently are neither tracked nor evaluated, suggesting that companies are not using these programs as strategically as they might.     

Business as Usual? An Institutional View of the Relationship Between Management Control Systems and Strategy

The relationship between management control systems (MCS) and strategy has received considerable attention in the management control literature. Contingency‐based approaches, however, have traditionally dominated this research, with limited attention devoted specifically to how MCS and strategy may combine in organisations operating within highly institutionalised environments. Adopting an institutional perspective, the current study is based on interviews with CEOs and senior executives in 32 Australian Not‐for‐Profit organisations. Our findings indicate a tendency for these organisations to decouple informal control from MCS, producing a ‘business as usual’ mentality via the pervasive informal approach to control, supplanting contingency‐based predictions relating to MCS‐strategy relations.     

Does Innovativeness Drive Environmentally Conscious Consumer Behavior?

This study seeks to improve the predictive utility of the attitude–behavior link within the realm of environmentally responsible consumption by examining the role of consumer innovativeness as a mediator. A sample of over 1400 American consumers provided data regarding their attitudes about the environment, receptiveness to new and innovative ideas, propensity to adopt new products early, and likelihood of performing a variety of green behaviors. The evidence suggests that one dimension of consumer innovativeness mediates the link between environmentally conscious attitudes and behaviors: the general affinity for new ideas. Managerial implications of these findings are discussed.